Tray ice maker temperature control ice clutch
US3937032A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 29, 1974 |
| Grant date | Feb 10, 1976 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 29, 1994 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
- CPC primaryF25C2305/0221
- WIPO fieldThermal processes and apparatus
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
An ice clutch control for an automatic ice maker wherein a drive motor continually turns a threaded drive rod extending within a liquid filled temperature sensing tube which in turn is positioned within a pocket of an ice cube mold. Upon the freezing of the water in the mold the temperature of the sensing tube and the liquid charge contained therein is frozen solid causing the rod to thread in the solid liquid resulting in axial travel of the rod so as to exert a thrust on coupling means thereby initiating the ice harvesting sequence of the ice maker. Upon completion of the harvesting operation the temperature of the sensing tube is raised by the fill water in the mold which melts the frozen liquid therein freeing the threaded rod from the coupling means for resumption of its independent rotation by the drive motor until the liquid charge is refrozen during the next ice making cycle of the ice maker.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.